Compare towns
Eliot vs Epping vs Mapleton vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Eliot | Epping | Mapleton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
7,430 |
1,884Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Epping and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,215 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Epping School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.